Visible-swir hyper spectral photodetectors with reduced dark current

ABSTRACT

A method includes forming an assembly of layers including an InP cap layer on an InGaAs absorption region layer, wherein the InGaAs layer is on an n-InP layer, and wherein an underlying substrate layer underlies the n-InP layer. The method includes removing a portion of the InP cap and n-InP layer by dry etching.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present disclosure relates to photodetectors, and more particularly to wide bandwidth hyper spectral photodetectors, e.g., for use in hyper spectral imaging.

2. Description of Related Art

Photodetectors with InGaAs lattice-matched to InP require smooth surfaces for adequate light admission, high quality interface for passivation, and require small diode areas to reduce dark current. Traditionally, a front InP cap is in the micron to sub-micron thickness range. Lateral diffusion in the cap increases the junction area and thus increases dark current.

The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improved systems and methods for hyper spectral imaging with low dark current. This disclosure provides a solution for this need.

SUMMARY

A method includes forming an assembly of layers including an InP cap layer on an InGaAs absorption region layer, wherein the InGaAs layer is on an n-InP layer, and wherein an underlying substrate layer underlies the n-InP layer. The method includes removing a portion of the InP cap layer by dry etching.

The method can include growing the InP cap layer epitaxially on the InGaAs absorption region layer. The method can include chemical polishing and/or mechanical polishing of the InP substrate layer to remove on the order of hundreds of microns of thickness from the InP substrate layer prior to removing InP and InGaAs etch-stop layers by selective wet etching, and then a portion of the InP cap layer by dry etching.

Dry etching can include removing only on the order of nanometers of the InP cap layer and substrate layer. Dry etching can include dry etching the InP cap layer and substrate layer down to a thickness that gives the assembly of layers sensitivity down into visible light wavelengths for hyper spectral imaging. The final thickness of InP can be tailored by Inductive Coupled Plasma (ICP) dry etch to a thickness range from below 200 nm, down to 10 nm with good surface quality comparable to epitaxial growth. Dry etching can include ICP etching. The ICP can be a chlorine free process.

The method can include forming a dielectric passivation layer on the InP cap layer after removing the portion of the InP cap layer by dry etching. The method can include forming a diffusion area in the InP cap layer and InGaAs absorption region layer to form a photodiode.

The n-InP layer can be a contact layer. The method can include removing the substrate layer and dry etching a portion of the n-InP layer away. Dry etching a portion of the n-InP layer away can include dry etching the n-InP layer down to a final thickness that ranges from below 200 nm, down to 10 nm. The method can include forming a multiple layer backside anti-reflective coating on the n-InP layer.

A photodiode system includes InP cap layer on an InGaAs absorption region layer, wherein the InGaAs layer is on an n-InP layer. For front illuminated detectors the thinned the InP cap layer can be sensitive down into visible light wavelengths desired for Visible to SWIR hyper spectral imaging. Reducing the InP cap layer thickness can reduce the lateral diffusion thus reducing the dark current. This can also favor fine pixel pitch fabrication due to the reduced lateral diffusion. The InP cap layer can range from below 200 nm, down to 10 nm in thickness.

The InP cap layer and InGaAs absorption region layer can include a diffusion area. The InP cap layer and InGaAs absorption layer can have an inherent dark current which can be reduced by this thinned InP cap layer. An underlying substrate layer can underlie the n-InP layer. The system can include a dielectric passivation layer on the InP cap layer.

For back illuminated detectors, the InP cap layer and InGaAs absorption region layer can include a diffusion area. The InP cap layer and the InGaAs absorption layer can have an inherent dark current which can be reduced by this thinned InP cap layer. The n-InP layer can have a thickness of less than or equal to hundreds of nm achieved by this substrate thinning technique finishing with dry etch. The system can include a multiple layer backside anti-reflective coating on the n-InP layer.

These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side elevation view of an embodiment of a system constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the InP cap layer before reducing thickness thereof;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side elevation view of the system of FIG. 1, showing the InP cap layer after reducing the thickness thereof, in a configuration for front side illumination sensitivity.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional side elevation view of an embodiment of a system constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing a back-side illumination configuration prior to reducing thickness of the InP cap layer and prior to reducing thickness of the contact layer; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional side elevation view of the system of FIG. 3, showing the InP cap layer and the contact layer after reduction of their thicknesses.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an embodiment of a system in accordance with the disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by reference character 100. Other embodiments of systems in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in FIGS. 2-4, as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to form hyper spectral photodetectors, e.g. for use in focal plane arrays or the like.

A method includes forming an assembly 100 of layers including an InP cap layer 102 on an InGaAs absorption region layer 104, which is in turn on an n-InP layer 106. An underlying substrate layer 108 underlies the n-InP layer 106, which is a buffer layer. The InP cap layer 102 can be grown epitaxially on the InGaAs absorption region layer 104.

The method can include dry etching of the InP cap layer 102 to remove on the order of hundreds of nanometers of thickness from the InP cap layer, while still leaving a smooth, thin layer for the subsequent passivation and contact steps. The dry etching process can include inductive coupled plasma (ICP) etching, and the ICP can be a chlorine free process.

With reference now to FIG. 2, after the InP cap layer 102 has been thinned by dry etching, the method can include forming a dielectric passivation layer 110 on the InP cap layer 102. The method can include forming a diffusion area 112 in the InP cap layer 102 and InGaAs absorption region layer 104 to form a photodiode.

InP absorbs wavelengths shorter than 920 nm, so in traditional systems photosensitivity is limited to infrared when using InP. Absorption increases with InP substrate thickness. Reducing the InP cap thickness will decrease a device's dark current, while reduction of the substrate and or/InP cap allows improved sensitivity to shorter wavelengths of light. The processes described herein allow for reliable thinning of the InP cap layer 102 (with reliable control of thickness and surface smoothness) down until the InP cap layer 102 is thin enough to allow sensitivity in visible wavelengths due to incomplete absorption below 920 nm. The InP cap layer 102 is can be less than or equal to one hundred nanometers thick, which allows for sensitivity down into visible light wavelengths for hyper spectral imaging. The InP cap layer 102 and InGaAs absorption layer 104 can have an inherent dark current that is reduced due to the thinned InP cap layer thickness, in which the corresponding lateral diffusion area is also decreased. The stacking defects at the InP surface can be removed through dry etching, which improves the epitaxial surface and further reduces dark current by removing leaky paths.

The description above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 provides a system and process for front side illumination structures, i.e. where the system 100 in FIG. 2 is sensitive to illumination from above as oriented in FIG. 2.

With reference now to FIG. 4, for back side illumination, a system 200 includes an assembly of layers 202 including an InP cap layer 102 and an InGaAs absorption region layer 104 similar to those described above. The n-InP layer 206 is similar to the layer 106 described above, but is a contact layer in this application. The method includes removing material from the InP cap layer 102 for dark current reduction, depositing a dielectric passivation layer 110, and forming a diffusion area 112 as described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. The method can also include removing the substrate layer 208 through chemical mechanical lapping and polishing followed by selective wet etching and selective wet etching the InGaAs sacrificial layer 212 away as shown in FIGS. 3-4. Dry etching a portion of the n-InP contact layer 206 away can include dry etching the n-InP contact layer 206 down to a final thickness from below 200 nm, down to 10 nm thick. The method can include forming a multiple layer backside anti-reflective (AR) coating 214 on the n-InP layer. This system as shown in FIG. 4 is sensitive to illumination from the back side, i.e. illumination entering from the bottom as oriented in FIG. 4, and can provide for hyperspectral imaging as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The n-InP layer can have a thickness from below 200 nm, down to 10 nm thick.

The thinned InP cap/substrate in combination with AR coating improves quantum efficiency (QE) over the (visible and near infrared) Vis-NIR and SWIR range with enhanced spectral response, responsivity and sensitivity characteristics comparable to standard InGaAs, and can have excellent corrected uniformity across a broad part of a sensor's dynamic range. The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for photodetectors with wide bandwidth hyper spectral sensitivity. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: forming an assembly of layers including an InP cap layer on an InGaAs absorption region layer, wherein the InGaAs layer is on an n-InP layer, and wherein an underlying substrate layer underlies the n-InP layer; and removing a portion of the InP cap layer by dry etching.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: growing the InP cap layer epitaxially on the InGaAs absorption region layer; and removing a portion of the InP cap layer by dry etching, leaving on the order of 10s of nm of the InP cap layer, wherein dry etching includes removing only on the order of nanometers of the InP cap layer.
 3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising forming a dielectric passivation layer on the InP cap layer after removal of the portion of the InP cap layer by dry etching.
 4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising forming a diffusion area in the InP cap layer and InGaAs absorption region layer to form a photodiode.
 5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein dry etching is performed either a front illuminated detector or a backside illuminated detector.
 6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein dry etching includes inductive coupled plasma (ICP) etching.
 7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the ICP is a chlorine free process.
 8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the n-InP layer is a contact layer for a back side illuminated detector, and further comprising: removing the substrate layer by chemical/mechanical polishing, selective wet etching of the substrate layer and sacrificial layers; and dry etching a portion of the n-InP layer away.
 9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein dry etching a portion of the n-InP layer away includes dry etching the n-InP layer down to a final thickness of less than or equal to hundreds of nanometers.
 10. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising forming a multiple layer backside anti-reflective coating on the n-InP layer.
 11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein dry etching includes dry etching the InP cap layer down to a thickness less than hundreds of nanometers that gives the assembly of layers sensitivity down into visible light wavelengths for hyper spectral imaging for front illumination.
 12. A photodiode system comprising: an InP cap layer on an InGaAs absorption region layer, wherein the InGaAs layer is on an n-InP layer, for front illumination wherein the InP cap layer is sensitive down into visible light wavelengths, wherein the InP cap layer is less than hundreds of nanometers thick.
 13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the InP cap layer and InGaAs absorption region layer include a diffusion area.
 14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the InP cap layer and InGaAs absorption layer have an inherent dark current reduced by dry etching for increasing pixel density due to reduced lateral diffusion.
 15. The system as recited in claim 12, and wherein an underlying substrate layer underlies the n-InP layer for front illumination.
 16. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein a sacrificial layer an underlying substrate layer underlie the n-InP layer for back illumination detectors are removed by chemical-mechanical lapping and polishing followed by selective wet etching, wherein the sacrificial layer is removed by wet etching, and wherein the n-InP layer is further thinned by dry etching.
 17. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a dielectric passivation layer on the InP cap layer.
 18. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the n-InP layer has a thickness of less than or equal to hundreds of nanometers.
 19. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a multiple layer backside anti-reflective coating on the n-InP layer. 